Series: Casual Enchantment, #1
Author: KA Tucker
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Audio Studios/Papoti Books
Pub Date: January 2016/May 2011
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Rating: 5 Stars
Our thoughts...
Anathema is centered around newly-eighteen Evangeline, who has been starving for human connection for years. She’s so hungry for it that she is willing to blindly accept the first person who acknowledges her and shows personal interest. Desperation can be deadly.
Evangeline is blind, naïve, and occasionally dense but she’s also young and young people tend to think they’re smarter and more mature than they really are. These traits will be annoying to some readers but when you factor in her age and the fact that this is a Young Adult book, it works. To the supporting characters' credit, they continuously point out Evangeline’s naiveté to her, refusing to let her continue on in oblivion. Unfortunately for the reader, and Evangeline, it takes most of the book for her to truly grasp the truth of their words. I would have been banging my head against a wall if Evangeline was the heroine in a contemporary adult romance. The character fits the setting in this case and is, therefore, more acceptable.
I would like to take a second to discuss “Insta-love.“ There are times when I can overlook it or even enjoy and appreciate it, that moment when two strangers meet and feel a deep connection. I didn’t enjoy it here. Evangeline and her vampire soulmate, Caden, fall in love as soon as they lay eyes on each other and before they even speak. That is more insta-lust than insta-love. I like knowing why two people are drawn to each other. This was probably my biggest gripe with the book.
The narrator, Khristine Hvam, is phenomenal. She masters different personas and accents with ease. Hvam's storytelling drew me in even more than the story and I couldn't get enough. There are a lot of diverse characters with varying accents in this story. Each one is brought to life like actors on a stage but it is all done by one woman. The narration alone is worth a listen.
Anathema pulled me in and kept me excited and intrigued. I enjoyed seeing the worlds unfold and discovering new challenges along with Evangeline. The stellar narration kept me enthralled and coming back for more. If you're looking for a fun YA read or listen, check out Anathema and the Casual Enchantment series.
Anathema on Goodreads
Anathema audio sample (the ebook is currently free!)
Evangeline is blind, naïve, and occasionally dense but she’s also young and young people tend to think they’re smarter and more mature than they really are. These traits will be annoying to some readers but when you factor in her age and the fact that this is a Young Adult book, it works. To the supporting characters' credit, they continuously point out Evangeline’s naiveté to her, refusing to let her continue on in oblivion. Unfortunately for the reader, and Evangeline, it takes most of the book for her to truly grasp the truth of their words. I would have been banging my head against a wall if Evangeline was the heroine in a contemporary adult romance. The character fits the setting in this case and is, therefore, more acceptable.
I would like to take a second to discuss “Insta-love.“ There are times when I can overlook it or even enjoy and appreciate it, that moment when two strangers meet and feel a deep connection. I didn’t enjoy it here. Evangeline and her vampire soulmate, Caden, fall in love as soon as they lay eyes on each other and before they even speak. That is more insta-lust than insta-love. I like knowing why two people are drawn to each other. This was probably my biggest gripe with the book.
The narrator, Khristine Hvam, is phenomenal. She masters different personas and accents with ease. Hvam's storytelling drew me in even more than the story and I couldn't get enough. There are a lot of diverse characters with varying accents in this story. Each one is brought to life like actors on a stage but it is all done by one woman. The narration alone is worth a listen.
Anathema pulled me in and kept me excited and intrigued. I enjoyed seeing the worlds unfold and discovering new challenges along with Evangeline. The stellar narration kept me enthralled and coming back for more. If you're looking for a fun YA read or listen, check out Anathema and the Casual Enchantment series.
Anathema on Goodreads
Anathema audio sample (the ebook is currently free!)
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